A vile pervert caught with horrific images including a rape and children being tortured used a "Jimmy Savile" email address to indicate his sick interest to others.
Married dad Joseph Pond had downloaded thousands of shocking images featuring victims of sexual abuse aged between one month and eleven years old. A court heard the material was "about as serious as they get".
Pond, 53, was arrested at his then family home in Morpeth, Northumberland, on January 5 last year following intelligence from the National Crime Agency about the use of an email address at the property.
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Omar Ahmad, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court : "The images showed children being tortured and in pain and distress, children being bound and gagged, urinated on and crude messages being written on their bodies."
In total he had 2,261 of the most serious, category A pictures and videos, 2,219 category B and 4,654 category C. A further 53,920 images were not categorised due to limits on police resources.
When he was interviewed, Pond said he had used an app to source and obtain images. Mr Ahmad said: "He said he used the email username Jimmy Savile to make other users aware they are into kids."
Pond, now living at Olympia Drive, Belfast, pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years. He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for ten years.
Recorder Mark McKone KC told him: "Category A images involve the rape of children, including, in this case, very young children, ranging from one month old to 11 years. These are records, either in picture or video form, of children's lives being ruined forever.
"The public expect an immediate prison sentence for offences like this. I've got to use my judgement and experience to decide which order makes it more likely you will stop offending. I have to balance grave offences with the prospect of rehabilitation. This is not an easy exercise in a case like this."
Sophie Allinson, defending, said: "Clearly this is deplorable offending. He was candid with the police and has not sought to deny he has a sexual interest in children.
"He expresses profound sorrow at what he has done. Since his arrest he has sought help and has self-referred to every available agency.
"He has relocated to Belfast and his wife and children have no contact with him. He has lost his good name in the most appalling way."
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